A Filipina beauty, colorized from a photo taken ca 1890

A Filipina beauty possibly taken by Francisco van Camp, a Dutch photographer who became famous in the late 19th century for taking studio shots of rich families of illustrators in what was then considered a new art medium. No more posing for hours before an artist painting their portraits on a canvas

With extensive liberties i compositing a different background image from standard photo stocks, colorized a Filipina aristocrat beauty , ca 1890s. Along with the pañuelo or kerchief, fan, and the parasol )day-umbrella), the baro't saya  of the Spanish era are favorite fashion wear ethnic wear among Philippine social ladies all the way to the American era when posing before the camera.

Niña Mestiza China, siglo XIX, Colorized vintage portrait of a Filipina-Chinese, ca 1890s

Another colorized vintage portrait of a Filipina, This time a Chinese-Filipina, taken by Francisco van Camp, ca 1890s. Entitled Niña Mestiza China, siglo XIX, this was downloaded from Flikr and is is part of the photographic archives of the Museo National de Antropologia, Madrid Spain. No story behind the photo, other than the fact that the subject was relatively fair-skinned wearing the traditional baro't saya that have become standard wear for women being photographed in studios from the 1840s to the early 1900s.

Dutch Photographer Francis van Camp is considered one of the pioneers of Phillipine Photography at around the time that national historic artist Juan Luna took up the hobby in Europe under the mentorship of various European photographers.

It's interesting to note that the Dutch actually attempted to colonize the Philippines and wrest it from Spain in 1646, during the 80 Years' War in Europe (1568 to 1648) but failed in the spectacular series of see battles of La Naval de Manila (148 - 1652) attributed to the intercession of the Virgin Mary in a war that was essentially between Catholic Spain/Philippines and Dutch Protestants 

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Doncella India, Philippines girl with Indian blood ca 1870/80

Colorized a vintage photo of a young Filipina taken ca 1870-80 from the Biblioteca Nacional de España where its Hispanic Digital Library contains the Philippine Album Publication,with 17 portraits and 43 views of Manila and surroundings. Not much story behind the photo but it has excellent photo resolution that makes it a joy to colorize.

The photo is entitled Doncella India, which transliterates to Indian Maid but depicts a Filipina. This young girl could have Indian blood. It is a well known fact that in 1762 the British invaded Manila and had control of the city for several years. They brought with them many Indian soldiers or Sepoys (Indian infantryman employed by the armies of the British East India Company from 1700 to 1857) who didn’t want to fight so they ran off to the hills east of Manila and hid out until the British left Manila. That is one reason why there is a lot of Indian blood in Filipinos even until today.

There have been comments on this picture that the young girl is dressed indecent for the period, considering that the women of the time wore the Philippine traditional baro't saya when photographed in a studio. There is no known history behind the photo and it is possible for young ladies (teenagers) at the time to dress less formally given the tropic clime.

A young Ingrid Bergman (1915 - 1982) ca mid 1940s

Colorized with a lot of liberties, a few photos of a young Ingrid Bergman just starting out in Hollywood at around the time she made Intermezzo (1939), the award-winning classic Casablanca (1942) opposite Humphrey Bogart, her notable performances in For Whom the Bell Tolls (1943), and in Gaslight (1944)

Ingrid Bergman in a publicity photo for Casablanca (Michael Curtiz, 1942)

Grace Kelly (1929 - 1982) ca 1956 colorized by Alex Lim

 Colorized in several variations a photo of Grace Kelly taken at the Foreign Press Awards in 1956.

Ava Gardner (1922 - 1990) colorized by Alex Lim

Colorized a few more photos of Ava Gardner taken ca 1944 to 1950

Grace Kelly (1929 - 1982)

Colorized a few more photos of Grace Kelly during her short reign in Hollywood before taking off to become Princess Grace of Monaco in 1956.

Grace Kelly (1929 - 1982) ca 1954

Colorized a publicity photo of Grace Kelly (1929 - 1982) for her 1954 Hitchcock movie Rear Window with James Stewart, two years before retiring from Hollywood to assume the role of a lifetime as Princess Grace of Monaco. Early that same year, she had turned down to star opposite Marlon Brando in On the Waterfront, and replaced by Eva Marie Saint who won Oscar's Best Actress.

Bette Davis in the late 1940s and early 50s

Colorized a few photos of the legendary Hollywood actress when she achieved international acclaim and whose makeup and hairstyle would become her signature look for years  to come, espcecially in her 1950 movie "All About Eve".  Here's one photo starting in 1948/49

Bette Davis' signature look in All About Eve, 1950, where she was nominated for an Oscar best actress award but lost.

Bette Davis (1908 - 1989)

Colorized a few photos of a Bette Davis in promotional stills for her 1938 movie Jezebel, winning her second Best Actress Oscar after Dangerous in 1935.

She played a southern belle in that movie and after that, was seriously considered and popularly preferred in a survey for the role of another southern belle Scarlet O'Hara in the 1939 Gone With The Wind. Unfortunately for her, she was already in her 30 at the time. and the studio needed someone younger. Interesting to note that among all the hollywood actresses who aspried for the role (Paulette Goddard, Carole Lombard, Susan Hayward, Lana Turner, Tallulah Bankhead, etc), the studio head David O. Selznick offered the role of Scarlett to Hedy Lamarr who refused it. But when Vivien Leigh (1913 - 1967)arrived in Hollywood, studio bosses were not only impressed with her acting but that she looked a lot like Hedy. She got the part.

Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onasis (1927 - 1994)

Colorized a relatively rare photo of the young Jacqueline Bouvier (1929 - 1994) taken at The Homestead, a luxury holiday resort in Hot Springs, Virginia, in the summer of 1945. 8 years before becoming the wife of JFK.